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softboo · 10 days

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love me, ever so gently - part II

pairing: austin x reader

summary: you recently moved to a new apartment, making some new eccentric friends along the way. but what you didn't expect was falling in love with a stranger. a stranger you somehow couldn't stop thinking about

words: 2.8k

warnings: more hints of domestic abuse, dark themes in relationships

author's note: soo i made a part II and i made it so quickly that it kinda blended into part III. i also want to say thank you to everyone who read part I because my heart melted. like i was already excited when it hit more than zero lol. but wow thank you so much!! it truly means the world :3 i hope you like this next part heh c:

previous part // next part coming soon...

part II

you piled the books onto the cart, the last group needed for organizing before the store closed. today was pretty slow as customers came and went, but your thoughts were somewhere else. on someone else rather.

it's been almost a week since the fair and this stranger was eating away in your head. maybe some part of you wished you would see him again. but what were the odds of that happening? the days started to blend into each other and you were so afraid that if you stopped thinking about him, just even for a little bit, the memory would disappear.

the more time that passed, the less you thought he would show up again.

but you missed seeing him. you wished for anything just to talk to him just a little bit longer than the last. you felt crazy for feeling so attached to him, but there was something so pulling about him. the way he would listen to you talk about the stories you loved and hated. the way his eyes would just gaze right through you, like you were someone he had missed seeing.

oceans filled your head, the calm waters flowing through your heart. but knowing it was going to disappear just as quickly as it came.

because he was only temporary. the waters weren't yours to stay in.

the backdoor swung open and you heard george hobbling over at you, almost tipping you both off balance as he wrapped his arm around your shoulder.

"look who it is! my favorite girl!" he smiled, completely disrupting your last task before you had to close the store. he flashed a toothy grin as cassandra appeared right behind him.

"george please, you're going to fall on the poor girl." her tone annoyed, but with a hint of concern. "do me a favor and go to the storage room to get the books for the events before i throw something at you."

she shot him a glare before he waved goodbye to the both of you. cassandra came towards you, picking up a few of the novels on the cart to help you finish.

"you're still thinking about him, dear?"

you quickly turned your head to look at her, eyes widening at the sudden accusation.

"how did—?"

"sweetie, it's written all over your face. and you've had that same expression since the fair. i'm not clueless."

you gave her a weak smile, confirming exactly what she thought. you couldn't look at her now though, feeling as if she could see right through you if you did.

"am i crazy cassie?"

she let out a small chuckle, settling the last book down on its appropriate shelf. she shook her head.

"no, you're just being young. and there's nothing wrong with that." she reassured you, not realizing that she completely finished organizing the rest of your books.

"if he ever decides to show up again, then you'll have another chance with him. if not, then you learn to move on."

that last sentence was something a part of you didn't really want to accept. your heart was still holding on to that possibility. but the more days that passed since the fair, the more you wavered on your certainty.

~ ~

"there's only two new neighbors cassie... why did we make three welcome gifts?" evelyn stated, all four of you were now squeezed into your apartment, staring at the gifts on the kitchen counter.

"because the other one is for our favorite girl!" george exclaimed, jumping up to give you the last gift. cassandra swatted at his arm, glaring at him.

"you ruined the surprise." cassandra remarked, as you gave them a weak smile.

it's been almost a month now and the thought of you ever seeing him again was fading even more. you reassured them that you appreciated the surprise anyway and george pulled you into a hug.

"if i only knew it was for her, i would've baked more cookies." evelyn stated, but you truly did appreciate the gesture regardless. they all knew something was wrong for awhile, but cassandra was the only one that knew why.

"it's okay, thank you. really. i love the gift."

cassandra caressed your cheek again as evelyn added, "if anything, i can bake more tonight and stop by to drop them off."

you smiled and nodded. "i would love that."

evelyn gave you a warm smile with her rosy little cheeks. she loved cooking for all of you, even remembering the first time she gave you your personal welcome gift when you moved in. and you remember it vividly because george ate half of those cookies.

"alright let's go drop off these gifts," cassandra stated, "george and i will go downstairs. you two will go to the one across the hall."

you all held your respective gifts and walked to where you needed to go. you and evelyn approached the apartment, evelyn knocking on the door as you held onto the gift.

you could even smell the cookies inside as it fogged a bit of the plastic, knowing how much hard work evelyn put in them. george made the little welcome sign, cassandra wrote the card with all the events planned for the year, and you placed two books. each from the ones that the store no longer needed.

it took a while for someone to answer, evelyn had to knock a few times but soon enough, the door swung open and suddenly something caught in your throat.

there she was. the same dark haired woman from a month ago. you couldn't believe it, the fact that she was your new neighbor. the fact that you saw her a month later instead of him.

and the fact that she stood there, her eyes in flames as you both somehow were at fault for knocking on her door.

"how can i help you?"

her tone was dark, it almost felt like she spat at you. evelyn noticed the slight negative connotation in her voice and opened her mouth to speak, but you came in first.

"we just wanted to drop off a gift to welcome you to the building." you gritted through a fake smile and evelyn saw you tense up. she just couldn't figure out if it was from annoyance or something else.

"oh how thoughtful," her voice was so empty. there was nothing behind it other than wanting to push you both out of her apartment.

"we also added a list of events that happen in the building like a cooking class, taught by—"

"my boyfriend and i are not interested thank you."

she cut you off again and you felt that spark of a flame growing right inside your heart.

"i'll take the gift though," and the woman snatched the beautiful piece from your hands. "austin loves this kind of thing."

she gave you a big toothy grin, something that vaguely made you uneasy but also reminded you of a poorly painted clown. she didn't even say thank you before shutting the door on your faces.

you couldn't even fathom any words, just blankly stared at the closed door. you glanced over at evelyn who was as shocked as you, opening her mouth to speak.

"what a bitch."

~ ~

your mind was racing as you ate your dinner, your favorite tv show playing in the background. the thought of austin's girlfriend being your new neighbor placed a sour taste in your mouth. like you couldn't catch a breathe as the whole situation wrapped around your throat. you had no idea if austin was living with her, but if he was, you weren't sure if you could face him with her breathing down your neck.

or if she'd even allow him to be in the same vicinity as anyone else but her.

the things you saw during the fair flashed in your head, the bruise on his hand. the tight grip of her arm around his. you shook your head, doubting that that possibility could be even true.

but if it was...? you weren't sure how you would react.

a sudden knock on your door broke you from your thoughts as you slowly got up from your chair to check who it was. as you looked through the peephole, you didn't see anyone.

you hesitated for a moment before opening the door, to find something that shattered your heart into a million pieces.

your welcome gift was staring back at you from the floor. the plastic wrap was ruined and the sign was ripped. the card splattered with wine stains and the cookies looked like they were stepped on. the only thing that was missing were the books and the event page.

you had no idea what to do, all of your hard work. everyone's hard work was ruined. a kind gesture completely taken advantage of and it was fueling your hatred even more.

you tossed it to the side, gently placing as much of the gift together as you could before closing the door. you wondered if austin took those missing things. if he knew how badly his girlfriend was treating other people and if he was even aware of the hold she had on him.

maybe that part of you was right.

~ ~

you sat in your assigned seat, the second table from the center. evelyn was busy up in the front, preparing her demonstration table full of ingredients. the kitchen right behind her with all the other food items needed for their meal. you could see how nervous she was with the way she kept fidgeting the same utensils and pans, making sure it was facing a certain way.

george appeared from the kitchen entrance, carrying supply bags out so it was easier for the class to get what they needed. he was beyond ecstatic for this as he was not only going to see a huge turnout of people again, but he was excited for the secret batch of food evelyn promised she would make for them when this was over.

you noticed cassandra passing through, a sign up sheet in her hand and you noticed a compile of names, each having their own seat and assigned table.

"so why can't i look at the list of names?" you asked her when she passed your table. all she did was smile as she handed you your name tag.

"cassie, he's not going to come." you remarked and she shook her head at your negativity.

you weren't able to tell anyone about your suspicious, thinking it probably wasn't your place to begin with. it wasn't until evelyn talked about "the dark red haired bitch from 4B" that cassandra started to connect the dots.

you just weren't sure if they were connecting all the dots.

weeks passed since the incident and each passing event with him not being present made it harder to stop thinking about him. even so when he would put his name and not show up.

this was yet, another one of those times, which was why you were doubting cassandra's optimism.

"we'll see. you never know dear," she let out a soft smile, "but if he does, give him his name tag for me?"

she handed you the tag with austin written on it, just like she did for all the other events. and yet each time, your heart skyrocketed in hopes that he was actually going to show up.

soon enough, the class started and evelyn began her introduction. the turnout was quite a lot; families, some friend groups, a few couples, an empty table in the back, and you.

with one empty seat next to yours.

~ ~

you were halfway through rolling the dough when you heard the main entrance door open. you didn't really have time to look because your stupid dough wasn't flat enough.

but it wasn't until you heard the footsteps and the water that followed suit from the rain that your now empty seat was occupied.

and your heart stopped.

"hi i'm so sorry i'm late. i'm usually not like this," his voice wavered, he sounded so flustered and embarrassed. so different from when you first met him.

you finally had the courage to look at him and you saw those same calm waters in his eyes, except they weren't as blue anymore. it was muted, like a greyness overshadowing its true color.

he had a hat on that covered his wavy blonde hair and some kind of shadow near his eyes, but he no longer had a mask and you could've sworn you heard your heart beating against your ears.

you were so overwhelmed by who he actually was that no words came out so you could respond to him. a part of you was so grateful he didn't see you as he was so preoccupied with his mistake of being late.

and when he finally settled into his seat and placed his things down, he looked at the nametag you placed on his side of the table. he quickly pinned it on his sweater to hopefully catch up on what he missed.

"i'm austin," he introduced himself, hoping you would say something to him. anything.

"hi."

your voice was so meek compared to his, even when he was the one all flustered.

"how much did i miss?" his was soft, and somehow sounded like he was comforting you.

"oh um... just the mixing part. i have the dough ready, but i can't seem to..."

you stopped as you noticed yourself ramble, completely avoiding his gaze as you looked right at the roller and your very stubborn piece of dough.

you heard him chuckle and it made your heart flutter slightly.

"can i?"

you just nodded as he placed the dough in front of him, taking the roller to knead the whole piece out. it wasn't long until he flattened it to the perfect shape that he gave you a small smile. he even followed the next few instructions from evelyn, placing the dough into a pie crust pan.

"have you cooked before?" you asked him, as he noticed the way you looked extremely impressed. and something about your expression made him flustered all over again.

"not really, but i do love cooking. i even thought about becoming a chef."

"really?"

"yeah," he let out the softest little laugh, pressing against the dough to form the crust, "that's why i moved here. i wanted to take a break for awhile and learn about the things i love to do... like cooking."

"you live here?"

a part of you wished he wasn't going to say it, but you already knew his answer.

"yeah on the 4th floor, apartment 4B."

and your heart sank to the ground.

"do you live around the area too?" he asked curiously and you nodded absentmindedly.

"yeah, i think we're neighbors. i'm 4A."

and you could've sworn you saw the blueness come back in those storm covered oceans.

"really?"

"yeah..." you hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not you should say the next part, "my friend and i actually dropped off a welcome gift for you."

and the blueness left as fast as it came.

you bit your lip, scared he might react a certain way. you started to doubt yourself. what if he was the one that ruined the gift, not the girlfriend.

he paused for a moment, going quiet as he finished mending the dough in place.

and you panicked.

"i totally understand if you didn't like the gift."

"no i liked it... i liked it a lot actually."

there was something hanging in the air now and you felt this immense guilt that you ruined the whole thing. you've thought about meeting him again for months and now that the chance arose itself, it felt like you were sabatoging everything you ever wanted.

"whenever you're both done filling your pie and adding the top crust, you can go to the kitchen and place it in the oven," evelyn instructed, smiling at the both of you as she passed your table. she cut the tension between you two for just a moment before it all came crashing back again.

you filled the pie pan and topped everything with another dough crust. the silence wrapped around you two as you finished the pie completely.

"i'll put it in the oven," austin offered, but as he got up, he winced in pain, clutching at his torso.

and that was all the confirmation you needed.

"let me, it's okay."

you took the pie from him, his body settling down on the seat again. he seemed so exhausted all of a sudden, like he no longer had the energy to put up a front anymore.

and it killed you on the inside that you had to sit there and watch.

when you came back from the kitchen, you noticed he took off his hat to fix his hair.

and that's when you saw his eyes. just above his eyebrow was a bruise and few cuts, a small bandaid on his upper temple, right where the brim of the hat would be.

but what broke your heart was the way he no longer had those lights in his eyes anymore. he rubbed his face for just a moment and you saw something else stain his hands.

it was makeup.

#austin butler #austin butler fic #austin butler fanfiction #austin butler x you #austin butler x reader #fic writing #first fic #i want to cry #i hate him #romance fiction

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inber · 22 days

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⭐HAPPY LESBIAN BOOK DAY!!⭐

go buy my bff's medieval sapphic romance novel 'All the Painted Stars', it's got knights and boobies and beer and it rules ass

#queer fiction #all the painted stars #sapphic #wlw #romance fiction #book recommendations #there is also a REAL GOOD CAT

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forzaflwrs · 11 days

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suzuka blossoms

pairing: lando norris x fem!oc

summary: saki has had no luck when it comes to guys - until lando gets her heart racing after a brief encounter and gradual infatuation at a coffee shop.

format: saki’s (oc) point of view! multi-part!

PROLOGUE

When I saw Lando that day, he was flanked by his security and his hair was tufted messily at the crown of his head, but gradually smoothed over towards the edges of his head. He took a seat nearby to the register I was working at and, to my surprise, came up to order himself.

“One iced matcha latte please.”

Still amazed at the odds that a famous Formula 1 driver had waltzed into the café I work at, I shook my head.

“No?” He chuckled.

I snapped out of my daze rapidly. “Oh no, no, not like that-”

A moment of unbroken silence falls upon us and his eyes do not stray away from mine until I finally show him the baked goods, encased in glass.

“Any pastries perhaps?”

“What do you recommend?”

My cheeks flushed, I replied. “I recommend the Strawberry Cream Brioche.”

“I’ll take one, then, Suki.” He turned to face his entourage of men wearing black tuxedos. “Anything for you guys?”

They don’t respond and Lando takes notice of the smile I have on my face, but does not mention it. I don’t even care that he misread the name tag, pinned to my pocket.

“I’ll have your order taken straight to your table. The name for the order?”

Even though I knew full well who it was.

“Lando. Thank you!” His mouth curls into a smile and his eyes squint, the creases around them being exposed, raw.

Once Lando had finished his food and partially drank his coffee, he walked over to me, after having just served another customer.

“I don’t quite know how it works, but…” He turns back and faces me again. He kisses his teeth and interlocks both hands. “May you clean our table?”

I oblige, waving him away along with his security team as the bell chimes above the door and Lando is whisked away to wherever he was supposed to go to.

Once I had started stacking plates and tucking used napkins into the gaps in between, I noticed one, scrawled on with ink in block capitals and messy handwriting.

LANDO - *******

Swiftly taking it, stuffing it into my apron, then almost immediately taking it out again to affirm what I thought I had saw. Lando Norris? The McLaren driver?

Suzuka is a popular event here each year; people from Nagoya, Tokyo, even some other countries around Asia, flock here to see the tumultuous turns these drivers take to win the race. Ridiculous amount of money is spent, but it’s all in good fun, because families and friends alike come for the atmosphere of it all.

And I just met one of those drivers, giving it his all this weekend.

Incredulous, my mind comes up with remedies to cure the madness that I am experiencing. Surely, this can’t be right?

Despite this, my thoughts continue to stir and I finish my shift, every hour that had passed since I read the note rushed in a blur and a mixture of both pleasant and unpleasant thoughts scrambled until I had finally gotten home.

I argued with myself.

Do I call him? Do I not?

I choose to text, instead. I wish that I did not feel as if I had to contact him, but, either way, it couldn’t hurt — right?

#lando norris #fanfic #f1 #f1 fic #lando fic #formula 1 #racing #motorsports #romance fiction

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latanyalove · 7 months

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𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐬 || 𝐋𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐲

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Chapter 1: New Island Discovery

Words: 2K+

Part 2

Deep inside the sea, the Straw Hat Pirates found themselves in a disheartening situation. Having just completed a fierce battle with the formidable boss of the previous island, they now floated aimlessly in an empty expanse of water. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, as if days had melded into one another without distinction.

The Log Pose, a navigational device attached to Nami's wrist, provided them with direction and hope. However, to their dismay, the needle on the Log Pose was now spinning erratically, pointing at nothing in particular. It was as if the very essence of their purpose had been lost in the vastness of the sea.

The crew gathered on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, their expressions reflecting a mixture of frustration, exhaustion, and uncertainty.

The lack of a clear destination weighed heavily on their minds, casting a shadow over their once unwavering resolve. Each member of the crew sought solace in their own thoughts, contemplating the situation at hand.

Luffy, the captain with a heart as big as the ocean itself, clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes.

He refused to let their current predicament dampen their spirits. With a resolute voice, he declared, "We may be lost, but as long as we're together, we'll find our way!"

His words served as a rallying cry for the crew, reigniting the flames of hope within them. They knew that their strength lay not just in their individual abilities, but in their unity and unwavering belief in one another. They had overcome countless challenges before, and this would be no exception.

As the Straw Hat Pirates sailed onward, their hearts filled with a renewed sense of purpose. They embraced the unknown, ready to face whatever trials lay ahead. With each passing moment, they grew closer as a family, their bonds strengthening amidst the uncertainty of their journey.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Log Pose suddenly began to move, pointing towards a mysterious destination. Luffy and the crew looked at each other in surprise, realizing that their fortunes had finally changed.

With newfound hope, they set sail towards the unknown, ready to meet whatever awaited them.

As the Thousand Sunny sailed through the open sea, they suddenly felt a slight tremor beneath the waves. They soon realized that they had passed through an invisible barrier, and beyond it, they could see a vast and bustling city.

They had stumbled upon a secret paradise, hidden away in the depths of the ocean. They could not believe their eyes - a place of wonder and beauty, hidden away from the world. The crew was awestruck, their excitement palpable.

They had found something special, something that was meant for only them to see. They were eager to explore the mysteries that lay ahead, and so, with a newfound sense of purpose, they sailed into the unknown.

"Luffy," Nami calls him as Luffy sits on the thousand sunny's head and turned around with a smile, his eyes glowing with excitement and a sense of adventure.

She didn't wait for him to answer as she continued, "You know what the villagers said about the next island we come across? They said it's a place full of mysteries and danger, so I think we should be extra careful."

Nami knew that nothing would get through Luffy's thick skull, but she still wanted to make sure he was aware of the danger they may face. She knew he had a tendency to rush into things without thinking, and she wanted to make sure he was prepared.

Luffy was mesmerized by the sight of the island, his eyes filled with awe and wonder. He could feel the excitement of adventure coursing through his veins, and he was eager to explore.

He didn't even seem to register Nami's warning, his gaze firmly fixed on the island ahead of him. With a newfound sense of purpose, he stood up and shouted, "Let's go!" as he stood on the Thousand Sunny, eager for this mystery island and its secrets. . . .

"Listen up!" Nami shouted as the ship made it to the dock on the island in order to explain how they would be spending their time. "Me and Robin will go shopping with Chopper, Zoro and Sanji will get supplies, and Franky will fix the ship with Usopp and Brook."

Everyone except for Zoro and Sanji were not happy with the plan. They shouted that they could get the supplies themselves and didn't need the help of the others.

This resulted in them arguing loudly, with Zoro and Sanji both trying to get their way. Eventually, the argument escalated into a physical altercation, with the clashing of swords and legs in the background as Zoro and Sanji, fueled by their stubbornness, fought each other to prove their point.

The other crew members watched the fight with amusement, shaking their heads at the two stubborn men but not intervening.

"Then what about me?" asked Luffy during the commotion.

"You'll be going on a little adventure of your own," Nami said with a smile. "You can explore the island and see what you can find. Just be careful and stay out of trouble, okay?"

Luffy nodded, a grin spreading across his face as he imagined what secrets he could uncover on the island.

He watched as his crewmates dispersed, each one of them ready to start their respective tasks. He could feel the anticipation building inside him as he was the only one left on the dock.

With a newfound sense of purpose, he set off on his own, ready to explore the mysteries of the island and uncover its secrets.

He had been exploring the island for the past half hour, but so far had found nothing that could be considered secretive or mysterious. He was about to give up and return to the dock when he heard yelling from a distance. Intrigued, he headed towards it, determined to find out what was the commotion about.

He had nothing to do anyway.

"Zara! You need to listen to what we have to say!"

"Is there any reason that I should listen to some ruthless pirates?"

Luffy had stumbled across a fight between three pirates and a marine. The marine, named Zara, was standing her ground and refusing to listen to the pleas of the pirates.

It seemed like they were trying to convince her of something, but she wasn't budging. Luffy stood at a distance, watching the fight with curiosity. He was eager to find out what the pirates wanted, and why the marine was so stubborn.

"You don't know what you are getting into when you come to this island," another pirate said with disdain.

"No, you don't know what you're getting into when you come to this island and come for me," Zara warned. "I can take care of myself, so I suggest you back off now before things get really ugly." She glared at the pirates, her eyes full of determination.

The three pirates looked at each other before they all rushed forward, their swords drawn and ready to attack Zara. Luffy watched in shock as the three of them advanced, their weapons glinting in the sunlight.

He quickly realized he had to do something, and his heart raced as he prepared to jump into the fray.

But he stopped in his tracks. Before he could move, he watched in amazement as the marine had somehow brought a sword out of thin air and had sliced the pirates, making them unconscious in a few seconds.

Luffy was astonished. He had never seen anything like it before.

When he realized two brown eyes were staring straight at him from below, he felt his cheeks grow red. He quickly averted his gaze, feeling embarrassed that he had been caught watching the fight.

He was about to ask the marine how she had done it, but she had already sheathed her sword back into thin air and was walking away, dragging the three unconscious pirates behind her.

Luffy watched her go, leaving him with more questions than answers.

All he knew was that she had to join his crew! He needed to know how she had defeated the three pirates so easily, and he was determined to find out.

He had to have her on his side.

He quickly made up his mind and followed her, trailing a safe distance behind. He followed her to the Marine base, where he watched her drop off the prisoners.

Then he followed her to the bakery, where she bought some bread before heading to the abandoned side of the village. Luffy kept his distance, but he was determined to find out what she was up to.

He was intrigued by her and her mysterious fighting skills, and he wanted to know more.

When Zara entered one of the houses, Luffy quickly scrambled up the side of the building and crouched on the roof, peering into the dark interior of the house through the broken roof with holes.

He could just make out Zara's silhouette inside, but he couldn't hear what she was saying.

When the light from the setting sun shone through the window, Luffy could see that Zara was sitting on a chair with her eyes closed, her hands clasped together in her lap. She seemed to be deep in thought, her expression peaceful and her breathing steady.

Luffy watched her intently, wondering what she was thinking about.

Zara had brown skin and curly black hair that was pulled back in a low ponytail. She wore a crisp white Marine uniform that set her apart from the other people in the village, and she had a long sword sheathed at her side.

Her face was expressionless and her eyes were a deep brown, almost black in color.

Luffy was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed that Zara had opened her eyes and was now staring at him through the window. He felt his cheeks flush as he realized he had been caught again.

"Monkey D Luffy," She mentioned, "Are you going to keep staring at me like a creep or are you going to get down from there?"

Luffy quickly scrambled off the roof, embarrassed but determined to find out more about Zara and her mysterious fighting skills.

He slid through the window and stood in front of Zara, checking if his hat was okay. She seemed a bit surprised but didn't seem angry.

"What do you want?" She asked straightforwardly.

Luffy looked up at Zara, a determined expression on his face. "I want you to join my crew," he said simply. "I've seen your fighting skills and I think you'd make a valuable addition to my crew. What do you say?

Zara looked at Luffy for a few moments before she started to laugh. "You're serious, aren't you?" she said, shaking her head.

"You really think I would join your crew?" Luffy nodded, a determined expression on his face.

"Why not? I think you'd make a great addition to my crew and I'm sure you have a lot to offer." He paused and smiled. "What do you say? Will you join us?"

She shook her head, her face suddenly serious. "You know that's impossible," she said. "I'm a Marine and you're a pirate. We are sworn enemies and there is no way I could ever join your crew."

Luffy then said, "Then arrest me. If you won't join the crew, then arrest me and take me away. I'm sure you can come up with a good reason."

Zara was taken aback by his statement. She hadn't expected him to say such a thing and wasn't sure how to respond.

He smiled again, this time with a little more determination. "I'll wait in prison for you," he said, placing his hat on her head and holding his hands out in front of him in a gesture of surrender.

"I'm sure you'll come around eventually and join my crew."

Zara was taken aback by his statement. She hadn't expected him to say such a thing and wasn't sure how to respond. She hesitated for a few moments, then quickly recovered and moved forward to arrest him.

She grabbed his hands and put them in the handcuffs, then led him away.

Despite her best efforts to remain discreet, the villagers quickly found out that Luffy had been taken away by a Marine. They started to gather around the prison, curious to find out what was happening and how a Marine had managed to arrest a pirate that was so strong and ruthless to have over a million for a bounty. . . .

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

If you want to read more, the rest of the story is on Wattpad! My username is Enkai_Umino!

Sorry if this Luffy sounds a little out of character! This is my first time writing about One Piece characters so sorry they might not act like themselves! Please give some constructive criticism as well!

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moorishflower · 6 months

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Cocoon (Original selkie romance)

Cocoon || Shipwrecked Sailor/Selkie || Explicit || 38k, In Progress

Trans Male Character, Shipwrecks, Wilderness Survival, Romance, Selkies, Cannibalism, Amputation, Blood and Injury, Huddling For Warmth, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Hopeful Ending, Mildly Dubious Consent, Fever, Abusive Parents, Fairy Tale Elements, Hurt/Comfort, Despair, Oral Sex, Frottage, Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, Animal Death (For the purposes of food)

William Caldwell is a man, and always has been. In order to escape his cruel, abusive father, and to live his life as he has always wished to, William signs up as a deckhand aboard the HMS Fearless, a ship bound for the antarctic circle. When the Fearless is sunk somewhere well south of Australia, in icy waters too frigid to navigate without a full crew, William is left stranded on a remote and deserted island with no food, no water, and no company. Except for the seal that might have saved him.

Here it is, the original story that I wrote in a fit of inspiration over like 3 weeks and then felt too self-conscious about to post right away! I have decided to post it now to get it out of my life whether it's good or bad! I hope some people enjoy it. <3

You can read it on AO3!

#original fiction #my fic #selkie #selkie romance #romance fiction #trans fiction #wilderness survival #gender metaphors

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uwmspeccoll · 6 months

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Steamy Saturday

"Creatures of the twilight . . . . driven to prowl their secret, forbidden underground."

"Here is the half-world of the invert . . . the bitter crises and reckless acts to which his irresistible urges drive him."

Julian, his friend, had broken away from this world of searing desire. . . . And then . . . he had committed a monstrous act. Page had to know why. . . . Because he himself, once, had been Julian's lover. . . ."

Oh, the steamy mystery! Dr. Tony Page is a successful psychiatrist, and when his friend Julian Leclerc, a handsome and talented young barrister -- and Tony's former lover -- is found dead, an apparent suicide, something doesn't seem right, and Tony sets out to uncover the truth. His quest takes him from the parties and pubs of the gay underworld of 1950s London to Scotland Yard and the House of Commons as he uses his shrewd and penetrating insight to find who or what was responsible for Julian's death.

Such is the premise of Rodney Garland's The Heart in Exile, a groundbreaking classic of gay fiction and considered the first gay detective story, published in this pulp paperback edition by Lion Library Editions in 1956. The novel, written by Hungarian émigré Adam de Hegedus (1906-1958) using the pen name Rodney Garland, was first published in London by W. H. Allen in 1953. It was a commercial success and was positively reviewed by mainstream publications, and it continues to maintain a significant presence in the queer cultural imagination. The cover art for this first American pulp edition is by noted American artist Arthur Shilstone (1922-2020).

View other gay fiction posts.

View other pulp fiction posts.

#Steamy Saturday #pulp fiction #gay fiction #gay pulp fiction #romance fiction #romance novels #The Heart in Exile #Rodney Garland #Adam de Hegedus #Lion Library Editions #Arthur Shilstone #cover art #gay men #homosexuality #LGBTQ+#UWM LGBT Collectioin

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ultraviolet-x · 1 year

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pov: Sebastian reads to you in the Library

Our favourite nerdy bookworm turned dark wizard shows off his romantic side by reading you some of the most romantic lines in fiction.

(aka give us romance options please I will practically beg 😭😅)

(screenshot not my own-ty to OP)

#sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy #sebastian x mc #sebastian x y/n #sebastian x you #sebastian x reader #romance fiction

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sagemonsters · 8 months

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Though Hell Should Bar the Way

Summary: Bess is a night owl and a college student—a combination that turns out to be dangerous when she realizes she can’t make it back to her residence during an ice storm at 3am. After being saved by a strange, mute motorcyclist who is reluctant to remove his helmet, Bess is eager to uncover his secrets.

Status: SFW

Relationship: cis female human (she/her) x cis male dullahan (he/him)

Word Count: 2,200

Notes: this is a modern AU fanfic of Alfred Noyes' poem "The Highwayman"

Chapter 1 of 1

Bess all but screamed when someone tapped her shoulder in the small study cubicle on the fourth floor of the Holger Library. One of the assistant librarians, Alex, grabbed her half-empty Starbucks cup before Bess could knock it over as she recoiled, and her Beyoncé-induced study euphoria ended as that motion yanked her wired earbuds out of her ears.

“—Closing in five minutes, Miss Noyes,” Alex said.

“Right, yeah… What time is it?” Bess asked.

Alex set her Starbucks cup back down on the desk. “Five minutes to three o’clock in the morning,” he answered, and then looked down at his wristwatch. “Four, actually.”

Bess blinked, then dived for her phone in her backpack; the time was correct. “Damn,” she muttered. She had an English final—a timed essay—in six hours; she needed to get whatever sleep she could before it started.

“Be careful out there—the snow feels like falling glass, and everything’s iced over,” Alex warned. He crossed his arms over his chest. “I hope you don’t have far to walk to get back to your dorm.”

“My apartment is on Kerr Green,” Bess said.

Alex looked at her in horror for a moment, then gave her a wince of sympathy; Kerr Green was halfway across the city, since Losthaven University had a decentralized campus whose student residences gave grief to the aforementioned students and city planners alike.

“Get an Uber or Lyft or whatever,” Alex said. “You cannot walk there in weather like this.”

Bess shook her head as she shrugged on and buttoned her navy blue peacoat. “I’m broke at the moment. I’ll be fine, though. Thank you.”

Alex gave her a final, worried look, then left the cubicle and resumed his patrol for other students who had missed the closing announcement. Bess shouldered her backpack and took the stairs to the library’s front door, and then paused.

The pavement outside the library was slick and shining with ice, just as Alex had promised, and she could see more ice coating the streetlamps and the lone USPS box. The plows had already come by, so the roads looked reasonably clear—but snow piled high in dirty, irregular drifts to either side of the street, and more was falling by the minute.

For a few moments, Bess allowed herself to despair. She could call her mother in Florida and ask for twenty-five dollars to get an Uber back to her apartment—but that would be the second time this week she asked for money, and it was three o’clock in the morning, so her pride forbid such a thing. Bess huffed to herself, then pulled on her hat and gloves and stepped outside.

The wind hit her like a broadsword, slicing through her layers and carving straight to her core. This was, without a doubt, a proper New England winter storm, and Bess fancied that she could feel ice crystals making shallow cuts into the inside of her lungs as she inhaled; the air was so cold that breathing hurt. She wobbled in place as the wind threatened to bowl her over on the slick pavement.

Bess managed to get five blocks in the direction of Kerr Green before she realized she should have swallowed her pride and called her mother. She had fallen twice during those five blocks, and her fingers were aching with cold inside her gloves even after she had shoved them into her coat pockets.

She eased herself into an alleyway for some reprieve from the wind and unzipped her backpack with clumsy, gloved fingers. After some digging, she managed to pull out her phone, and then removed one glove with her teeth to unlock the device with her fingerprint. The cold ache intensified in that hand, so much so that it shook with pain. She could barely feel the phone anymore, but managed to open the CALL app—

The phone slipped out of her fingers and fell to the asphalt at her feet. The screen went dark, and when Bess picked it up she saw a spiderweb of cracks across the screen.

Crying is useless. Crying is useless. Crying is useless… Bess told herself, but the tears were welling up anyway and stinging at the corners of her eyes. She fumbled her glove back on and turned to trudge back out into the wind. Maybe there was still someone at the library, and she could beg them to let her use the phone at the front desk…

A headlight sliced through the snowy nighttime murk in front of the alleyway, followed closely by the deafening snarl of a motorcycle engine. An all-black bike with a helmeted rider swathed head to toe in black leather gear pulled to a stop in front of the alley, its engine settling into a low, coughing growl. The rider’s helmet, with its shadowed visor pulled down, turned toward Bess. He let go of the handlebar and held out his hand to her.

Bess stared.

The rider curled and uncurled his gloved fingers in a beckoning gesture. After a moment’s hesitation, Bess stumbled toward him. The sidewalk was slippery beneath her boots. She tottered as another gust of wind hit her, instinctively reaching out for support, and the rider grabbed her wrist and helped her upright—helped her the final few steps toward him, too.

“Can you take me to Kerr Green on West River Street?” Bess asked, shouting to be heard over the wind and the engine. The rider was still holding her wrist.

The rider nodded, and Bess was cold and desperate enough to climb on behind him and wrap her arms around his midsection. The motorcycle’s engine howled to life like a thing possessed, and she and the rider tore down the street.

The wind whipped icy snow into her eyes, so Bess hid her face against the rider’s leather-clad shoulder. At this speed, it was even colder than before, and she was so very tired. She’d have to get her phone replaced tomorrow, and she had her English final too…

When Bess lifted her head after a particularly hard turn, she saw tongues of green ghostfire licking at the motorcycle’s wheels, and more streaming out from the engine like banners. One flame seemed to be in contact with her leg, but it didn’t appear to be spreading to the cloth of her pants and Bess felt no heat. She blinked hard, but the flames didn’t go away.

This is real, she realized, and a moment later: this isn’t a normal motorcyclist.

“Stop! Stop!” Bess shrieked, and shook the rider’s shoulder. A moment later he swerved into a narrow side street, slowed to a stop, and put his feet down to balance the bike. The green ghostfire dimmed and then faded to nothingness. He looked over his shoulder at her.

“Who are you?” Bess demanded. “What are you?”

The rider said nothing.

“What do you want?”

The rider twisted around as much as he could so that he could face her properly. Bess looked into the visor, but couldn’t see even the faintest shadow of a face beneath it. The rider reached up a hand and brought two fingers to her cold lips in the barest ghost of a touch, then pulled away.

“What does that mean?” Bess asked. And then, more softly, “Are you mute?”

The rider nodded.

“Okay,” Bess whispered after a moment. “Okay, let’s… let’s keep going, then.”

The rider gripped the hand that she still had wrapped around him, threading their fingers together and giving a light squeeze, then pulled away and started the motorcycle again. Bess tucked her head back down against his shoulder and did her best to endure the cold and wind and ice, but the flaring ghostfire provided no warmth; by the time they arrived at Kerr Green and the student residences that lined the park, she had largely stopped shivering.

The cold had numbed her mind as well as her extremities, and it was hard to move. The rider had to help her to her door, and he followed her inside when Bess struggled with her gloves in the entryway. He heated water in a bowl in the microwave of the kitchenette, then helped her remove her gloves and submerge her frostbitten hands in the warm water.

“Thanks,” Bess said, and started shivering again as her body thawed. The rider, still in all his leather gear, pulled off her ice-rimed hat and coat and boots, then draped the blanket on the back of the couch over the space heater to warm it up before wrapping it around her shoulders where she sat at the kitchen table.

“You can take off your helmet if you want,” Bess said when feeling started to return to her fingers and toes.

The rider hesitated, and then the helmet shook from side to side.

Bess attempted a reassuring smile. “I promise I won’t tell anyone what you look like.”

Another shake of the helmet.

When Bess’ fingers no longer hurt, she pulled them out of the bowl, flexed them experimentally, and then started fidgeting with a tassel on the corner of the blanket.

“Thank you for all your help,” she said. “It really… I mean, I think I might have died without you.”

The rider nodded, then moved toward the door.

“Wait!” Bess said. “Please… please don’t leave just yet.”

The rider paused and looked back at her. Bess stood up, still with the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and went to him. She reached out and touched his arm; there really wasn’t a single inch of exposed skin showing among the black leather, not a single smidgen of humanity or clue towards his identity.

“What’s your name?” Bess asked.

The rider shook his head, then reached up and brushed his gloved fingers over her lips again.

Bess felt her cheeks heating in a blush. “Kiss me,” she whispered. “Kiss me before you go.” She knew it was a ridiculously romantic thing to say, something out of the trashy romance novels she kept hidden under her bed, but what else was there to say in a situation like this? What else was there to do?

The rider reached into a pocket of his jacket and brought out a small, dogeared notebook and a stub of pencil. He wrote for a few moments, then showed the page to her:

I CAN’T KISS.

“Why not?” Bess asked.

The rider started to move past her, toward the door, and Bess darted in front of him and put her back to the door to bar his path. “I’m not moving until you tell me what’s going on,” she said.

There was a pause. The warm yellow lights in the apartment flickered, dimmed, and then died entirely, and that sickly green ghostfire curled out of the lamps and from the burners of the stove. A chill crept in, not as terrible as the storm raging outside but still cold enough that Bess wrapped the blanket tighter around herself.

The rider took off his helmet, revealing empty air; he had no head.

Bess’ eyes went wide.

The headless rider wrote again in his notebook and showed it to her: SCARED?

“No,” Bess said, even though that wasn’t quite the truth. She stepped forward and put her hands on the chest of the rider’s jacket. “Show me the rest of you.”

The rider pulled off his gloves. He had normal-looking hands, although they were room temperature at Bess’ touch and had no warmth of life within them. The high-collared jacket came off next, revealing a plain black shirt that had a human-seeming chest underneath it. When Bess laid a hand over where his heart should be, however, there was no beat beneath her fingers, and his tattooed skin was cool.

“Why did you help me?” Bess asked.

WHY NOT?

Bess frowned. “That isn’t a good answer.”

YOU SHOULD STOP ASKING QUESTIONS, THEN.

Bess folded her arms over her chest. “Absolutely not. You…” She felt her cheeks heat in another blush and forced herself to be brave: “If you can’t kiss me before you leave, then I’m sure there are other things we can do.”

SUCH AS? the headless rider wrote.

Bess’ blush intensified. She reached for the top button of her blouse, but then hesitated. “I don’t know how to start without at least a kiss,” she confessed.

CAN I SHOW YOU?

Bess nodded. “Please,” she whispered, and the long ribbons of emerald ghostfire burned high and bright throughout the apartment as the headless rider set aside his notebook and reached for her.

•

The storm had died by the time dawn arrived, and newborn sunlight glittered atop the ice that sheathed the city in crystalline glory. Bess awoke alone, and found that her final had been postponed via an email from her English professor. She smiled and plaited a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

Enjoy my writing? Please consider buying me a coffee so I can have a warm drink while I write.

You can also read this story in the August 2023 edition of the much-loved M❤️NSTER magazine.

#monster romance #monster lover #terato #sage's portfolio #monster x human #monster boyfriend #dullahan #romance writing #romance fiction #the highwayman #fanfiction

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